Mixer closure



May vI9, 1953 CfER's'f 2,639,128

um cLoSURE Filed Jan. 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 few Patented May 19, 1953 Mixen obesi-mn. 7

ffl-his invention rlates'to cncreteiniinersfend "-In Ye.cco'rdence with my inventionfthe miieris 'provided with e. rotatable-mixingdrnznhavingen opening in the rear 'end-thereof end-e. stationary charging'hopper having a `vportion .proj ecting into the drum throngh such opening. i An uannuler closine 'is supported r for rotation with the drum Vvvhe'n in engagement 4.therewith lfor sealing the opening and is supported for movement `iam/'ey "from rand vtoward the drum, 'the -drunr vbeing `adapted to discharge the vmateriel therein through the opening when the closure is moved "away from the drum. The novel v'arr'engement herein disclosed for supporting `and moving the 'closure eliminates the neces'si-ty Qff'emplo'y-ing'fan expensive bearing between the closure yand the hopper, asis conventional in tlieart, and which 'Dear-ing occasions considerable di-iicul-ty Vend vexpense due to the :frequent lfailure thereof vin "service A principal vobject of the invention, therefore., is :to provide a new and improved closure device for the charging and discharging opening `in ythe mixing drum of a. transit mixer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. closuredevicefor aconcrete mixerin whichreleitively rotating parts are provided with a. seal 'therebetween Vsind which seal is so loca-ted as to be relatively free vfrom contact With the 'mix yin the drum. y I

A further'object of the invention y-is to provide e closure for a mixing drum and a novel Vrneains for supporting such vclosure *for rotation with the drum and for 'movement toward and away from 'thedrum .Y

Other and fur-ther objects of the invention wil-1 be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, 0f -Which there faire two sheets, which by wey "of vi'lliiistrtion `show the 'preferred embodiment -of the vinvention 'and what I -now vconsider 'to be the best `mode in which I have contempla-ted applying the principles Aof my invention. 'Other embodiments of the invention may be used Without vdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set I'forth in 'the appended claims.

In the drawings:

lFig. 1 is a fragmentary and elevational of'eJ transit mixer embodying 4rny -inventin Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side 'elevational View Viet) was c s tvig, 3 'is "agfagfiitrv sectional view taken @Ensim-91+? fof ige-1... iAcbnleteamixer. mbvdi'ingmymventi. 1 fdo" prima *tfztettbls lensing :.drmn -w Sm? ne@ 5 "n afl-fe ,'fzhOh siadfltedofbe munten e :chssis fofjeutr-uck. y :druml -Hl hesje rre.'irvvardly upweijdl-y inclined exis amd may; be supperted let its -foijvyerd -end by? n, suitapleidrive errafnjgf'ernent gend, fait the reerxend thereof is ."PI'O' ne@ with. fa #mk .14. wiped vo ridewvn rollers v'IS lmonnted on breckets 18 which gare secured `the. fn'xer frame l2. The reanendf-of kthe ispr'ovided with an opening -20A- tl'n'o'nghl which Ifnet'eriel mely 'y woher-ged intphaind `disch'ar ged .,.flm th drum. The 'mimi' @fthe type .wherein the drum is provided with -snitablespiralsbledes (not shown) which 1n-re adapted vtpyn-ix material fthe drum rotation thereof in 'nne'direc- `tiiinl-end to efiect Lthe -dscherge of material from the l jiiponreverse rotation;of thedrum.

AAvmeteriel charginghopper y2-2 is y"eupportel'lin jXed'V-relation yto the drumat the reenend Ather'ef end inclndes ve. cylindrical fportlbnrli ltnrpgh une opening 2Q in the drum 1a :and ex- 25 tending Zinto thedgumqfojr 'eesubstantiaifdismnce s o that materiel from the hopper ,22 will @pegged intoe they drum inwardlyjbf theopnirig .2-0iherei'1f.- The meer isisepprtd 'at its weer en'd by ibmlget 26 ettecnedtma namen-remuer '3 3 :aaa 'teil tten the@ :foin the eremitir the umm time e mvmy 'seppe a @hete met shown) r with which trennt wren #are as ofdinnlv provided.

'I'he closure 38 comprises a substantially fiat annular outer ring 4| adapted to seat in sealing relation on a seal member or gasket 42 suitably secured to a drip ring 44 provided on the end of the drum I0. 'I'he closure includes an inner ring 46 secured to the closure ring 4l by a series of boltsY .4 8. The `cylindrical portion 24 of the hopper-22 has anannular collar 56 suitably secured thereto, such as by welding, and the rounded inner periphery 52 of the inner closure ring 46 is adapted to rotate around and to move substantially axially along the outer periphery of the collar 58.

A resilient annular sealf'56 issecured to thel portion 24 of the hopper, and the seal member 56 is adapted to be engaged by an annu-lar flange 58 provided on the closure ring 48 when'the closure is seated against and rotating with the drum I0. The cylindrical portion 24 of the hopper 22n extends into the drum a substantial distance inwardly of the seal between the closure and the hopper provided by the flange 58 and the resilient sealing member 56 lso that the seal is shielded from' the dry mix vwhich is charged into the drum through the hopper 22. The seal provided'by the member 56 is also positioned and a substantial dlstance above the normal full load line of the drum l 0, which ordinarily is not substantially above the lowermost portion of the opening 28 in the drum, so that the seal is substantially free from contact with the wet mix being agitated within the drum.

vA means is provided for shifting the closure toward and away from the drum, and such means vcomprises a pair of yoke arms 60, each of which mayA be made integral with or suitably secured to one of the halves of a split ring 6I rotatably connected to closure 38 for moving the latter toward and away from the drum, a pair of operating levers 62 connected to the yoke arms 60, and a means for pivoting the operating levers 82 so as to move the yokes and the closure toward and away from the drum. The two halves of the split ring 6| may be held together by bolts 63. The operating levers 62 are keyed to a rock shaft 64 which is journalled in bosses 66 provided on the brackets I8. A housing 68 is supported by the' frame member 28 and one end of the shaft extends into the lower end of the housing 68 and is provided with a sector gear l0 secured thereto. A hand wheel 12 is secured on shaft 14 which has va bevel gear at the inner end thereof adapted to meshv with a bevel gear provided on one end of a shaft 16 journalled in the housing 68', the shaft 16 also being provided with a worm 18 adapted to mesh with the teeth formed on the sector 10 so that rotation of the hand wheel 12 will cause rotation of the rock shaft 64.

Connecting links 80 are pivotally connected at one end to the operating levers 62 and'at the other endfthereof are provided with adjustable meme bers 82,- similar tothe adjustable members 34, the adjustable members 82 having a pivotal connection with the yoke arms 60. Rotation of the rock shaft 64 will pivotthe levers 62 and therefore move the closure away from or toward the open end of the drum I8. The adjustable connection providedby the members 82 permits proper axial positioning of the closure relative to the drumwhen the closure is seated thereagainst. The pivotal connection between the yoke arms and the connecting links 80 permits tilting movement of the closure relative to the plane of the opening in the drum 'so'that the closure may seat against the seal 42 throughout the peripheral extent thereof.

The ring 50 at its upper end is provided with an extension 84 along which the inner periphery 52 of the ring 46 may ride when the closure is moved away from the opening in the drum. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the upper end of the closure, upon movement thereof away from the drum, is adapted to engage the wall 86 of the hopper 22 and thereafter the closure may pivot about the connection between the yokes 60 and adjustable members 82 so as to move into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. 'I'he inner periphery 52 vof the ring 48 is adapted to be supported on the collar 50 provided on the extension 24 of the hopper when the closure is seated against and rotating with the drum I 0. As indicated in Fig. 3 a slight clearance is provided between ring 46 and collar 50 so that the closure is adapted to rotate freely about the cylindrical portion 24 of the hopper without binding. While the ring- 46 and closure have been illustrated as being rotatable on and slidable along collar 58 and extension 84 thereof, it is apparent that the closure might be supported independently of the collar 50 by means of the shifting mechanism.

The ring 46 is provided with an outwardly opening annular groove 90 which is adapted to receive a flange 82 provided on the split ring llil so as to have a tongue and groove connection therewith for rotatably supporting the ring 46 and for supporting the same for movement toward and away from the drum.

'I'he ring 6l is provided with one or more passages 94, each of which communicates at the inner end thereof with the groove 90 in closure ring 46 and at the outer end thereof with a grease fitting 96 so that grease may be supplied to the groove 90 for lubricating the same.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a concrete mixer havingr a rotatable drum provided with an opening therein through which material may be discharged from said drum, a charging hopper supported in fixed relation relative to said drum and having a cylindrical portion thereof projecting through said opening into said drum for charging material into said drum, an annular closure rotatable about said cylindrical portion of said hopper and axially shiftable relative to said drum and hopper and engageable with said drum about said opening for sealing said opening. said closure being rotatable with said drum when in engagement therewith, means between said closure and said cylindrical portion of said hopper for forming a seal therebetween, a nonrotatable yoke member and an operating lever therefor for .shifting said yoke member toward and away from said drum, said closure being connected to said yoke member for movement therewith toward and away from said drum and being rotatably supported thereby.

2. In a concrete mixer having a rotatable drum provided with an opening therein through which material may be discharged from said drum, a charging hopper supported in xed relation relative to said drum adjacent said opening for charging material into said drum, a closure movable relative to said drum and hopper and engageable with said drum about said opening for sealing said opening, said closure being rotatable with said drum when in engagement therewith, means supporting said closure for rotation and for movement toward` and away from said drum, said hopper having a portion extending through said closure, resilient means between said closure and said portion of said hopper for forming a seal therebetween when said closure is in engagement with said drum, said seal being located axially inwardly along said hopper relative to said supporting means for said closure so as to seal said supporting means from the interior of said drum and hopper, means including a nonrotatable yoke member and an operating lever therefor for shifting said yoke member toward and away from said drum, said closure being movable wit-h said yoke member toward and away from said drum and being rotatable relative to said yoke member.

S. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said yoke member is connected to said operating lever so as to permit tilting movement of said closure relative to the plane of said opening in said drum, and means engageable with said closure upon opening movement thereof to cause said closure to tilt in such manner that the lower end thereoi moves a greater distance from said drum opening than the upper end of said closure.

4. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said closure and said yoke member are provided with a tongue and groove connection therebetween. f

5. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said portion of said hopper is substantially concentric with the axis of rotation of said drum and extends into said drum a substantial distance inwardly of said seal between said closure and said portion of said hopper.

6. In a concrete mixer having a rotatable drum provided with an opening therein through which material may be discharged from said drum, a charging hopper supported in xed relation re1- ative to said drum and having a portion thereof projecting through said opening into said drum for charging material into said drum, a closure movable relative to said drum and hopper and engageable with said drum about said opening for sealing said opening, said closure being rotatable with said drum when in engagement therewith, said closure including an outer ring adapted to seat on said drum and an inner ring secured thereto, and means cooperable with said inner ring for moving said closure toward and away from said drum, said inner ring being rotatably and axially movably supported on said portion oi said hopper, and resilient means providing a seal between said closure and said portion ofsaid hopper when said closure is in engagement with said drum, said seal being located inwardly along said portion of said hopper relative to said inner ring thereby to seal said inner ring from the interior of said drum and hopper.

7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein said closure is supported so as to be free to tilt relative to the plane of said opening in said drum.

S. In a concrete mixer having a rotatable drum provided with an opening therein through which material may be discharged from said drum, a charging hopper supported in iixed relation to said drum and having a cylindrical portion thereof projecting through said opening into said drum for charging material into said drum, an annular closure movably mounted relative to said drum and hopper` and engageable with said drum for sealing said opening, said closure being rotatable with said drum when in engagement therewith and being movable toward and away from said drum, said portion of said hopper projecting through said closure, and resilient means between said closure and said portion of said |hopper and forming an annular seal therebetween when said closure is in engagement with said drum, said seal being substantially concentric with the opening in said drum and being located radially inwardly a substantial distance from the edge of said drum defining said opening.

9. Structure according to claim 8 wherein said portion of said hopper extends into said drum a substantial distance inwardly of said seal between said portion and said closure.

CHRIS GERST.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,360,345 Hilkemeier Oct. 17, 1944 2,511,262 Hilkemeier June 13, 1950 2,544,545 Rockburg Mar. 6, 1951 2,578,171) Bohmer Dec. 11. 1951 

